Single-feed continuous form paper presses generally have left and right side infeed and outfeed tractors which are laterally adjustable to accommodate the varying widths of continuous form paper for which the press was designed. Generally, such presses allow the lateral separation of the tractors to positions sufficient to accommodate paper with a width for printing of up to 17.4 inches. These presses are usually provided with a single collection tray positioned below the outfeed tractors onto which the continuous form paper is folded at its transverse slit perforations.
The press is designed to feed a single continuous form paper having left and right side perforated edge portions. The left and right infeed and outfeed tractors are positioned so that a plurality of drive pins which are connected to a driven endless belt of each tractor will extend through the corresponding perforated edge portion of the continuous form paper. As is convention, the left and right edge portions of the continuous form paper are intended to be detached and the individual sheets which comprise the continuous form paper are intended to be separated at the transverse perforations by the printer or the user after the printing process is complete.
While only a single continuous form paper can be printed at one time, the printing rollers and other components of the presses are frequently of sufficient length so as to accommodate continuous form paper having a width for printing greater than the typical 8.5 inch width continuous form papers used for many forms.
It will therefore be appreciated that there is a significant need for a conversion kit to allow single-feed continuous form paper presses to simultaneously print two continuous form papers, thereby doubling the printing capacity of the presses. The conversion kit should be relatively inexpensive and easy to install on existing single-feed continuous form paper presses. Once the conversion kit is installed, the press should be able to print and transport simultaneously two continuous form papers and deposit each in folded manner on an outfeed collection tray, without the one continuous form paper interfering with the other. Moreover, the conversion kit once installed should still permit the operation of the press with a single continuous form paper when desired. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides other related advantages.